How To Make Time To Cook Each Week

How many times have you planned to make time to cook after work only to end up being too tired when you get home? An afternoon meeting runs long, or something unexpected comes up and throws off your whole day. It happens to the best of us. We start the day with good intentions, then get bogged down by our responsibilities.

It seems like everyone has the same issue when attempting to cook and eat more meals at home. That issue just happens to be time, which is something that we can’t control. Everyone gets the same 24 hours each day, but it feels like we could all use at least two more. Cooking healthy meals at home may be a top priority, but how do you make the time to cook each week?

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Create A Plan

The first thing to think about when making time to cook is your schedule. What do you have planned this week? Are there specific days that would work better for cooking than others? The weekend typically works better for cooking and meal prepping because it seems to be a little less hectic than the weekdays. I personally like to cook and freeze all of my meals for the week on Sunday. Another option is to create a schedule that allows you to cook every other day and eat leftovers in between. This way you won’t get overwhelmed while attempting to cook each day. Depending on your schedule, you make have time to prep your ingredients in the morning. When you get home all you have to do is take out your ingredients and cook.

If you are having trouble organizing your schedule, consider getting a planner. The Erin Condren Life Planner is perfect for people wanting to make time to cook. It has a monthly spread, a weekly spread, and a note section.

Photo Credit: Kamika Smith

The monthly spread is perfect for planning your meals for the month. Just write down what you would like to eat each day in the space provided. In the weekly spread, add the things that you need to do each day. This is where you will determine the days that you have time to cook. The note pages are awesome for keeping a grocery list. They are also perfect to write down recipes or measurements that you do not want to forget. If you are interested in using this planner to help you make time to cook, head to erincondren.com for all of the details.

Invest In A Crock-pot

If you do not have a Crock-Pot, you do not know what you have been missing out on. This thing is a lifesaver. When you use a crock-pot, you don’t have to make time to cook after work, but you will still have a healthy dinner waiting on you at the end of the day. You literally put in your ingredients, turn on the crockpot, and go about your day. The new crock-pots have gotten pretty advanced. You can set the start time and end time, and they will turn on and off accordingly. This feature is awesome!

The internet is full of crock-pot recipes. A quick search of your favorite meal with the word crock-pot behind it will open your eyes to a brand new world. I could not believe that almost anything could be cooked in a crock-pot. Most of the recipes are simple and just require you to add your ingredients and let them cook for the allotted time. Some recipes require no side dishes, but the ones that do are usually quick and simple. Another cool thing with Crock-Pot meals is that your house will smell amazing when you return home to eat your dinner.

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Prepare Freezer Meals

If you are still struggling to make time to cook each week, freezer meals may be helpful for you. By freezer meals, I do not mean the frozen entrees that you would find in your grocer’s freezer aisle. I’m talking about meals prepared by you with fresh ingredients and frozen until they are ready to be eaten. Freezer meals are an awesome way to have dinner without spending too much time cooking. These meals save so much time and effort during the week.

Freezer meals are great for busy people and almost anyone else. All you have to do is chop up your fresh ingredients, cook your meats, and add your sauces. Store the meals in the freezer in gallon ziplock bags or aluminum pans depending on how you will need to cook the meal in the future. Casseroles work better in aluminum pans so that you can just pop them in the oven. Soups or skillet meals work best in gallon ziplock bags that you can just pour into the skillet or pot when you are ready.

Use $5 Meal Plan

If crockpot meals and freezer meals are not your thing, or you just prefer cooking more throughout the week, try $5 Meal Plan. This is a meal plan created to help save money, time and stress by using simple meal plans. This plan is awesome! Each Friday you receive your meal plan and shopping list. The meal plan includes five dinners, one breakfast, one lunch, and one surprise. The surprise could be a dessert, a new drink, or a snack.

$5 Meal Plan has a really neat meal plan builder that comes with your subscription. The meal plan builder allows you to customize your plan by the meal of the day, cooking method, ingredients, or dietary preferences. There is no right or wrong way to use the plan so feel free to make modifications or skip meals as you please. You also have access to a Facebook group with other members to share your successes or modifications to the plans. If you are interested in $5 Meal Plan, try it for free for 14 days. It may be just the thing to help you make time to cook each week.

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Make Time To Cook Each Week

The main thing to remember is to cook meals that you and your family enjoy. That will take away half of the stress that comes when you make time to cook. You also do not have to cook every night. Cook your crock-pot or freezer meals one day then eat leftovers the next day. Leftovers often taste better than the original meal! Just make things as simple as possible and enjoy the time that you get to spend with your family.